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'The Grounds' gets new look, new feel, new attention

The ticket office at The Grounds, Formerly The Fairgrounds, is seen Thursday, July 25, 2013. The office was painted as part of the renovations, as were all the buildings. The sign over the office will soon be refurbished as well. (Bill Starling/bstarling@al.com)

With the first $250,000 phase of a massive facelift and rebranding effort underway, however, Tindle is hopeful area residents and visitors alike will get to know – or become reacquainted with – the Grounds and the promise the 100-acre site holds as a year-round entertainment, convention and commercial venue that attracts more than 1 million annual attendees and aims to take a leadership role in community development.

“We know the (fairgrounds’) reputation needed a lot of work and repair, but what we really want is for people to come and see the difference. Give us a shot, and let us earn your satisfaction and your business,” said Tindle, an attorney by trade who now oversees the Grounds’ community development and fundraising while coordinating public education as well as the recruitment, development, and implementation of year-round events.

First-phase renovations -- slated for completion in August -- include full exterior painting; interior painting and floor replacement in the grand ballroom, VIP room, and office suite; fence replacement and upgrades around the corporate office and VIP parking to decorative black fencing; the addition of decorative brick columns connected by marine chain along the exterior perimeter; substantial landscaping upgrades; and outdoor restroom upgrades and refurbishments.

Even Tindle admits the facility’s former incarnation evoked more of a “prison feel” with its barbed wire, dilapidated fencing, institutional color scheme and lack of landscaping.

“We want it to look like a college campus by the time we’re finished,” he said.

Second-phase projects -- for which no timetable nor budget have been set -- could include major upgrades to the exhibition and agricultural areas and the potential replacement of the 30-year-old grandstand, he said, but the work completed to date is already attracting the right amount of attention.

“Recently we’ve landed several of the Gulf Coast’s largest events proving ourselves to be one of our area’s premier event spaces,” Tindle said, adding, “The rebrand is a reflection of just that: providing grounds to hold major events. The renovations show our commitment to community development as well as providing a premier venue for people and companies to hold their events.”

Indeed, a partial list of the Grounds’ revamped schedule of events is as follows:

• The University of South Alabama’s Cross Country-Azalea City Classic (Sept. 14, 2013)

“This is the first major renovation in more than 20 years, and we want to make this the type of place where if you’re a corporation, you really want to partner with us; if you’re a nonprofit, give us the opportunity to enhance your reach in the community and boost your visibility,” Tindle said.

And the fair?

Just wait to be amazed, he said.

For starters, unlimited rides per ticket per day will now be allowed, and that includes 64 rides, more than 30 of which now target children.

And although there will be music, Tindle said the “economics are not the same in the music world as they were 20 years ago,” so the Grounds have opted to invest in a 2013 BayFest sponsorship rather than compete.

The biggest shift patrons will notice with the 2013 Greater Gulf State Fair, he said, is the markedly family-friendly feel, complete with visits the first weekend by Thomas the Tank Engine and Angelina Ballerina as well as a dinosaur trail throughout the fair’s 10-day run that features seven life-size dinosaur replicas, a dig pit and a rubbing station for fossils.

The second weekend, meanwhile, will feature the Greater Gulf States Fair Stampede and Rodeo -- now a PCA circuit event -- and the Gator Boys of Animal Planet fame who are scheduled to wrestle at least one 10-foot alligator as well as “pass around a few smaller ones” for the crowd.

“All those types of things are things you can’t just see anywhere, and with it all included in the ticket prices, it’s just a phenomenal value,” Tindle said.

“We are also making the entire lot in front of the grandstand the Family-Friendly Zone that will feature acts such as stage shows and a magician. We really want to let the families know this is somewhere you can bring the family and everybody have a great time.”